Personalities in Disorder by Winterhorses
by Words of Love for Meli
Summary: For our dear Meli Stories. Emmett is sure that his smooth-talking friend, Edward, will be able to crack the thick ice of Bella the man-hater. Alice doesn't agree, and a wager is made. But both Emmett and Alice are surprised when neither Bella nor Edward act as they expected.
**Title:** Personalities in Disorder

 **Summary:** For our dear Meli Stories. Emmett is sure that his smooth-talking friend, Edward, will be able to crack the thick ice of Bella the man-hater. Alice doesn't agree, and a wager is made. But both Emmett and Alice are surprised when neither Bella nor Edward act as they expected.

 **Rating:** M

 **Pairing:** E/B

"It's all Jacob Black's fault! I could just _strangle_ him!" Alice Brandon seethed, her dark eyes flashing.

Jasper Hale raised an eyebrow. "Alrighty then. And this Jacob Black would be…?"

"Bella's first boyfriend in high school. He cheated on her when she wouldn't put out for him."

"That certainly makes him an asshole, but what does he have to do with—"

"Mike Newton didn't help either," Alice continued, caught up in her rant. "I should've twisted his balls off when I had the chance!"

"Mike Newton?"

"The possessive, controlling slug she dated her freshman year in college. He hated when she spent time with any of her other friends and wanted to know what she was doing every minute of the day."

"Okay, so there's Jacob and Mike—"

"Ugh, how could I forget Paul? I think he was the nail in the coffin. That rat bastard. GQ on the surface, drug-dealing con man on the sly." Alice pounded her fists on the restaurant table with unadulterated anger.

Jasper reached across the wood and gently grasped her hands. "Whoa, there, Karate Kid. Let's leave the place in one piece."

"I know, I know, it's just…Bella's a sweet girl and doesn't deserve to have such a terrible history with guys." Alice sighed heavily. "I hate how introverted and closed off she's become."

"Bella was your college roommate, right? The one who just moved back to Seattle?"

Alice nodded. "Yeah. She went to live near her mom in Florida while getting her Master's but decided she'd rather settle down here. I feel like such a bad friend because I haven't seen her much since she's been back. You know how many hours Rose and I have been putting in lately. But now that wedding season is winding down, I'm trying to catch up with Bella."

"I'm half-afraid to ask, but what brought on the sudden tirade?"

A deep scowl formed on Alice's delicate features. "I was talking to her just before we left, trying to set up a casual get-together with some friends—you, Rose, maybe Rose's new guy if he's cool, Angela…"

"And?"

"And I _might_ have given her a teeny tiny bit of grief about her lack of dating over the past three years."

Jasper gave her a skeptical, probing look. " _And_ …?"

" _And_ I told her I knew a bunch of nice guys and tried to set her up on some dates!" Alice huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "I was just trying to be helpful! She didn't have to get so pissy about it and then hang up on me."

It wasn't easy, but Jasper somehow managed to keep a straight face instead of chuckling like he wanted to. "Is there any possibility you might have been pressing her just a little too hard? I haven't known you for that long, Ali dear, but you can be very, uh, insistent at times." He gave her a tender smile to soften his words.

"Yes, I _suppose_ it's a possibility," Alice conceded with a guilty pout. "But I only have her happiness in mind. I know Bella. She's a romantic at heart who's always dreamed of having a cute little picket fence family with two-and-a-half Golden Retrievers or whatever. So she struck out three times. That doesn't mean she should stop playing ball forever!"

"Who stopped playing ball?"

Jasper and Alice turned in their seats at the sound of the amused voice behind them.

"Hey, Rose!" Alice greeted, her eyes immediately going to the muscular man accompanying her friend. "And you're obviously Emmett. Good to finally meet you!"

"Same here," he replied with an easy smile.

"This is my brother, Jasper," Rosalie Hale said, taking a seat at the table.

The two men shook hands and exchanged greetings. Rosalie didn't waste a moment getting the answer to her previous question.

"So, what about this reluctant athlete?"

Alice snorted. "I wouldn't exactly call Bella an athlete."

"Oh lord," Rosalie groaned, rolling her eyes. "Are you going on about Bella's man-hate again? Give the girl a rest. So what if she wants to be a nun?"

"But she doesn't, and that's my point!"

"Really? Do you not remember how she acted the last time we visited her? When we finally did manage to drag her out to a club, she sat in the booth and sulked the whole time. The few guys that were stupid enough to ignore her scathing glare all crashed and burned in less than a minute. Face it, Ali, the massive ice chip on her shoulder isn't going anywhere anytime soon. No man alive's got a chance breaking her vow of bitter celibacy."

Emmett McCarty let out a soft snort and smirked. "Oh, I bet I know someone who could melt her panties right off. The guy's, like, the Chick Whisperer or something."

"Yeah?" Alice asked, her eyes alight with interest. But then her expression dimmed. "No, Rose is right. Bella would shoot down that playboy way before he ever got into panty-melting range."

"Hey, Edward's not a playboy!" Emmett protested. "Yeah, he's smooth, alright, but there's not an ounce of sketchiness in him. He's respectful and loyal. I'd trust him with my kid sister—if I had one."

"Well, since this guy's so great, I'm guessing he's taken, right?" Rose asked archly, examining her manicured fingernails.

Emmett shrugged. "He's had one or two sorta-girlfriends over the years I've known him, but I don't think he's been very serious with any of them. Med school and residency ate a lot of his time, and honestly, I don't see him ever settling down. The man's married to his work."

"What kind of doctor is he?" Jasper asked.

"Edward just started his specialty residency," Emmett replied proudly. "Pediatric surgery."

"Sounds like you have a man-crush on him, babe," Rosalie pointed out with a smirk.

"Nah. It's true he's got the job, money, looks, and charm, but I'm a family guy through and through." He grinned at Rosalie. "I picture myself as one of those dads wearing a camo-colored baby carrier while pushing another one in a stroller. That's what I want someday."

Both Jasper and Alice were shocked when an uncharacteristic blush spread across the blonde's cheeks.

Alice recovered first. "Well," she said quickly, knowing Rosalie would appreciate a subject change, "the last thing I think Bella should do is jump into a relationship after so long, anyway. I just want her to loosen up a little around men—talk, maybe flirt a little, or even some good ol' fashioned grinding on the dance floor. But she's so far gone, I'll bet even your Wonder Boy couldn't put a crack in her ice."

"I'll take that bet," Emmett declared with confidence. "I have yet to meet a straight woman or gay may who wasn't drawn to him in some way. You'll see what I mean."

"I think I'll have to after that build-up," Alice said. "So what do I get when I win?"

"What do you want?"

Alice pursed her lips in thought. "Hmm. Actually, I'd rather lose the bet for Bella's sake, but since I know that's not gonna happen…I got it! Rosalie told me you have a Porsche."

"Yeah," Emmett replied warily. "A 2011 Carrera GTS. Why?"

"I want to drive it. For a whole weekend."

Rosalie snickered at Emmett's pained expression as he considered her terms.

"Alright, fine," he muttered. "But you have to promise this Bella-girl's not a closet lesbian or anything. Edward's good, but even his magic has a limit."

"Oh, I'm gonna have so much fun with that car!" Alice squealed. "What do you want in the highly unlikely event that you win?"

" _When_ I win…huh, what else do I need other than bragging rights?" He turned to Rosalie. "Babe, you want me to make little Ali-cat your slave for a day or something?"

"Nuh uh, keep me out of it," she said, shaking her blonde head. "I wish there was a way both of you could lose. This has disaster written all over it."

"Yeah, like, what if Bella actually ends up liking this guy, but he's not interested?" Jasper asked. "That'd be pretty harsh."

"I'm telling you, it's not gonna happen," Alice said. "I'm so sure that I'll clean Emmett's entire apartment to 'Alice standards' if she even gives him the time of day."

"I'll take it!" Emmett exclaimed. "Rose told me how anal and germophobic you are. My place could use a good deep cleaning."

"But Babe—" Rosalie began, scowling.

She was interrupted when the waiter came to take their orders. Emmett could see that Rosalie was getting more worked up during the delay and jumped in to speak the moment the waiter turned away.

"We're just having a little fun. I promise Bella won't get hurt," he soothed. "I'm telling you, Edward's one of those guys who could show up to repo your house, and you'd still end up thanking him for it somehow. The 'worst' that could happen is Bella getting a fun evening out of the deal and a new friend. With you 'n me being together, they're bound to meet at some point, anyway. Alice and I are simply observing their behavior and predicting the outcome. Think of it as silent data collection. We won't interfere with the natural course of things."

Rosalie eyed Emmett and Alice in turn, only slightly mollified. "No interfering, huh? You'd better the hell not. I'll be watching you two."

The two bettors then agreed that a night out for the six of them would be arranged when a suitable time could be found. Still irritated by the whole idea, Rosalie quickly turned the conversation to the success of the event planning business she and Alice owned. There was no more discussion concerning either Bella or Edward for the rest of the meal.

Alice, however, couldn't get her mind off the wager. She had a strange feeling that it was important; that there was more on line than just winning a silly little bet. And even though her fingers itched to wrap themselves around the wheel of Emmett's Porsche, she'd be more than happy to lose if that meant Bella benefitted in some way.

And so, the very next day, Alice sweet-talked Rosalie into manning the office by herself and showed up at Bella Swan's apartment door.

It took the brunette several minutes to let her in, and when she did, she was not in the best of moods.

"For God's sake, Alice, it's eight in the morning!" she groaned, lurching to her couch and falling flat onto it. "You know I don't wake up early unless I absolutely have to. And I'm on vacation. This is practically a crime."

"Doesn't school start up again in a few weeks? You need to get your body used to a different schedule, or you'll be in a world of hurt that first week."

"I'm working on it," Bella grumped, her face buried in a decorative pillow. "But I think I'm still on Florida time. I can't seem to fall asleep until late."

"Well, maybe if you got up early every morning, you'd be tired enough at night."

Bella struggled to lift her hand so she could flip Alice off. "Did you come here just to lecture me on my sleep habits, or is there another reason for your disgustingly cheerful presence at this ridiculous hour?"

Alice plopped down on the couch on top of Bella's outstretched legs and swatted her rear end. "Well, other than to wonder why these ratty sweatpants are on your body instead of in the rag bin, I want to find out your schedule so we can meet up for a night out with Rose."

Bella raised her head to gape at Alice. "And you had to drive halfway across the city to ask me this in person instead of—oh, I dunno—sending me a text or email, or even calling on the phone?"

"Like I would've had much luck with that," Alice scoffed. "You know as well as I do that _if_ you checked your messages and ever got back to me, it'd be weeks from now. You have the worst record when it comes replying. The only way I can guarantee a response is to track you down and force it out of you."

"I guess you might have a point there," Bella conceded with a scowl, letting her head fall back onto the pillow. "But seriously, eight in the friggin' morning?"

"I'm impatient to get this set up and couldn't wait any longer. Be grateful it wasn't six. So, are you free this weekend and/or next? Both Saturdays are looking good right now, but I haven't confirmed with everyone yet."

In a quick move that caught Alice by surprise, Bella flipped over and pushed herself into a sitting position on the couch. "What you mean by ' _everyone'_? I thought it was just Rose and you. It better be. Because if you're even _thinking_ of inviting a bunch of single male gorillas along to hit on me all night…"

"Of course not!" her friend replied breezily, waving her hand in the air. After all, she was only inviting one, not a bunch. "You've made it more than clear that you're done with romantic relationships, and I've finally accepted that."

 _In fact, I'm counting on it_ , she thought to herself as images of the 408-horsepower prize flashed through her mind.

"Thank goodness," Bella sighed in relief.

Alice swore she could hear faint notes of longing and regret in her friend's tone.

 _Interesting. Emmett's chances might be better than I thought…_

"But, when I said 'everyone,' I _was_ planning on more than just the three of us," she said out loud, carefully choosing her words to keep from lying outright. "Rose and I have fallen hard for our guys, and we really want you to meet them. Both Jasper and Emmett are looking forward to it. They know how important you are to us."

Bella's expression softened. "Of course we should all get together. I want to meet them, too. I know! Why don't I have you all over for dinner? I haven't had a chance to cook for anyone besides myself since I got here."

"Oh, I was thinking we could go out in town," Alice said hastily. It was one thing for Emmett's friend to tag along to a bar or restaurant, but having him show up unannounced at Bella's door was going a little far over the social rudeness line, even for Alice. "That way, you can relax and not worry about having to put a meal together—"

"Come on, Alice. You know how much I hate the whole process of getting dressed up and going out. If anything, it's the cooking that relaxes me, and playing hostess will force me to interact—which should make you happy. It's the perfect solution for everyone. I don't have anything going on in the evenings yet, so just let me know the day and time."

"Uhh, okay, great, I'll let you know," Alice muttered, her mind racing. It seemed as if she'd be crossing into rudeness territory, after all.

At least it was for a good cause.

Emmett was met with much less resistance when he proposed the idea to Edward.

"You're going to dinner with me and Rose this weekend," he declared, upping the speed on his treadmill.

Beside him, Edward increased his speed, too. "Rose is the girl you're seeing, right? That'd be fine, except I'm on shift pretty much the whole time. Next weekend is okay, though."

"Cool, I'll let Alice know."

"Who's Alice?"

"She's Rose's business partner and best friend. She's also dating Rose's brother, Jasper. Oh, and it looks like we'll be doing dinner at Bella's place. She's Rose's other best friend." Emmett glanced at Edward's display and frowned. He bumped up his speed again.

Edward let out a breathy chuckle. "What, you need me as backup to meet the brother and the besties? You must have it bad for this girl."

"Yep," Emmett said proudly. "She's The One. I'm gonna marry her and make lots of cute babies. Probably need to get a bigger condo, though, or maybe a house in the 'burbs."

"Damn, Em, didn't you just meet her, like, a few weeks ago?" Edward pushed a button until treadmill was moving slightly faster than his friend's. "You're already planning your life together?"

"When you know, you know. And I _know_." Emmett grabbed a handful of his shirt to wipe his sweaty brow. "What about you? You ever plan on settling down?"

"Eh, I'm not totally against it, but it's not something I'm looking for. My life's busy enough as it is without trying to fit in a relationship and kids and all that drama."

"I never understood that about you. After growing up with your ridiculously perfect family, you don't want that, too?"

"I dunno, maybe I'm worried that no relationship could match the one my parents have. You know how I hate to fail at anything. And on top of that, for theirs to work so well, they both had to make sacrifices in their personal and professional lives. I'm way too spoiled to do that. I'm going to be the top in my field and don't want to worry about a wife and kids slowing me down." As if to emphasize the point, his finger mashed the up arrow on his treadmill until the belt was flying under his feet.

"Dammit, E, why you gotta be so effin' competitive!" Emmett huffed as he tried to keep pace but failed.

Edward's laugh was labored, but he continued to sprint full-out until the machine beeped and slowed automatically.

The two men jogged lightly for a little while longer, catching their breath and cooling down.

When they finally stepped off the equipment, Edward mopped his face with his towel and then threw it at Emmett. "You know, maybe if you got in a few extra workouts instead of hanging out all day with your girl, you might be able to beat me."

Emmett tossed the towel back and grinned good-naturedly. "Maybe, but when it comes to spending time with Rosie versus doing something else, well, there's no competition."

Other than the minor hiccup of Bella's insistence to host, the get-together was easily arranged. Alice had nothing else to do except count down the days, which annoyed her to no end.

It also annoyed Rosalie.

She had no idea how she was going to survive two weeks of Alice's excited chatter and was very tempted to work from her home until after the dinner. A pair of noise cancelling headphones, suggested by Jasper, was the only reason she kept her sanity.

The ear-saving devices proved even more invaluable when Bella suddenly changed her mind about having everyone over to her apartment, suggesting they meet up at a bar, instead. Despite insistent questioning, Alice wasn't able to coax a reason for the venue change and spent the three days prior trying (aloud) to figure it out.

"Did I finally get through to her about shutting herself away from the world?" she mused, pacing in front of her office desk. "Or is she just trying to get me off her back for a while? What if this is some sort of ploy so she can fake an emergency at the last minute and ditch us? Maybe—"

"Girl, Imma strangle you if you don't shut your hole and get back to work," Rosalie growled. "I swear, if you weren't my partner, I'd fire your ass."

"I know! I should offer to help her get ready!" Alice exclaimed, ignoring Rosalie completely. "That way, I can make sure she shows up—and _not_ her in favorite old-jeans-and-faded-tee combo."

A pen went sailing through the air and plunked Alice in the center of her chest. She let out an indignant yelp and fixed a dark-eyed glare at her friend.

"If you'll drop the subject and call the damn caterer for the Thompson party now, I'll stop by Bella's and bring her, okay?" Rosalie offered in exasperation. "It makes a lot more sense, seeing as how her place is on my way to the bar."

Alice pouted. "I _guess_ that's okay. But don't you dare let her wear Doc Martens or anything like that! I promised Emmett she wasn't a lesbian."

Rosalie gritted her teeth and told herself she'd look terrible in prison orange.

Jasper took a sip of his beer and smiled fondly at Alice as she squirmed in her seat. He loved her passion and excitement, which was so opposite his calm, laid-back personality. His life had been rather dull until she came whirling in like a multicolored tornado.

"According to his text, Emmett should be here any minute with Edward. Rose is being a bitchy witch and won't tell me what's going on with her and Bella. Grr. I wouldn't be surprised if there's some sort of wardrobe emergency, given Bella's sad lack of decent clothes. I should've gone over there, I should've made sure—oh, _shit_ …"

"What is it, sugar?" Jasper was perplexed about Alice's suddenly astonished expression.

"Emmett implied that his friend was good-looking, but _that_ guy is a friggin' walking wet dream!" she hissed. "Poor Bella won't stand a chance. Oh lordy, I've made a huge mistake. He's gonna play her like a fiddle and leave her in worse shape than ever—I just know it! I'm forfeiting right this second. There's no way I'm letting this happen!"

She didn't a chance to say anything else before Emmett strutted up to their table and settled his large frame in a chair. Edward flashed a charming smile and took a seat beside his friend.

"You must be Alice and Jasper. It's great to meet you," he said warmly.

Jasper shook his hand while Alice blinked a few times and tilted her head. "You look familiar. I swear I've seen you before."

Emmett laughed and slapped Edward on the back. "You'd probably recognize him if he took off his clothes. Famous male underwear model, right here."

"Hardly," Edward snorted, shaking his head. "I did a shoot for Ralph Lauren when I was in college. It was a one-time deal, and I needed the money." He rolled his eyes at his friend. "I really wish you'd forget that ever happened."

Emmett just smirked.

Alice looked back and forth between the two of them, her eyes narrowed. "Aw, hells no!" she fumed. "A doctor _and_ an underwear model? What else—do you put on a batsuit and fight crime at night?" She wagged a finger at him. "No, no, no. You're bad news, and I forbid you talk to Bella. Don't even look at her."

"Bella?" Edward asked, furrowing his brow. "Ah, right. Rose's other best friend. The three of you went to UW, right?"

"Yep. Bella was my roommate, and Rose and I met in a study group. We all started hanging out and—"

"Whoa, who is _she_?"

Annoyed at the interruption, Alice glared at Edward before turning to see what he was staring at. Then she gasped and stared, too.

"That's Bella?" Emmett asked, his voice higher than usual. "What the hell, Alice? You made it sound like…but she doesn't seem to be…uh, what exactly are you playing at here?"

Jasper was also surprised. Given everything Alice had told him, he half-expected Bella to show up dressed like some sort of mousy homeless person in a flannel shirt and holey sneakers.

The confident woman gliding toward their table looked anything but.

She wore a tight, mid-thigh length black dress that flaunted every one of her hourglass curves and silvery peep-toe stilettos. Her hair cascaded in voluminous mahogany waves over her shoulders and down her back. Plump lips were painted an inviting dark red color, and her sparkling eyes were framed by long, thick lashes. Yet despite her sensual appearance and poised demeanor, she somehow projected an air of angelic innocence.

"Emmett, do you believe in love at first sight? 'Cuz I think I do," Edward murmured dreamily. His eyes were half-lidded, and one corner of his mouth turned up in a strange sort of curl. "I finally understand what you were saying. She's it for me, and I want to have it all. With her. The wedding, the house, the kids…everything."

Emmett gawked at him for a few seconds before bursting into laughter. "Ha! Nice one, Eddie. You had me going there for a second. I actually thought you were serious."

"I'm serious, alright," Edward breathed, still absorbed in Bella's every move. "I've never been more serious about anything in my life,"

"Yeah, okay. If you say so. Now stop messing around, and act normal again, for fuck's sake!"

Alice had heard none of the exchange between Emmett and Edward. She was too busy trying to shove her eyes back into her head. The moment she regained some semblance of sense, she launched out of her chair and hurried to her friends.

"Holy crap, Bella, you look un-freaking-believable! I've never seen you this hot before! How did this happen?" She grabbed Rosalie's wrist. "Tell me how you did this! Drugs? Blackmail? Threat of bodily harm? You have to let me in on your secret!"

Bella smiled and let out a low, throaty chuckle. She removed Alice's hand from Rosalie and squeezed it in her own. "I finally realized you were right, Ali. I need to get over my past issues and enjoy life again. So, this is me, ready to live it up!" She glanced around the room and wrinkled her nose. "Huh, I guess this place is okay for now, but after a few drinks, we need to hit someplace else. I feel like shakin' my ass tonight!"

Stunned, Alice looked at Rosalie, who just shrugged and resumed walking to the table. Introductions were already underway by the time Alice broke out of her daze and joined them.

"…is Edward, a good friend of Emmett's. They lived in the same neighborhood when they were kids and went to school together."

To Alice's continued amazement, Bella gave Edward a seductive grin and daintily offered her hand. He grabbed onto it like someone had thrown him a lifeline and placed a reverent kiss on her knuckles.

"You are a magnificent goddess," he sighed, longing heavy in his voice.

Bella giggled and withdrew her hand. "Why, thank you, kind sir. Maybe you'll get a demonstration of my powers later on."

Edward's face lit up like a sun, while Alice and Emmett exchanged a rather panicked glance.

Initially, Alice had planned the seating so that Bella would be next to Edward. But she hastily plunked herself down in that chair, leaving the one between Jasper and Emmett open. She had no idea what was going on with her friend and wanted her as far away as possible from Dr. McUnderwear Model.

Emmett was just as confused about Edward's behavior. In all the years they'd know each other, he'd never seen Edward so completely taken with a woman. Instead of a smooth, irresistible charmer, the man had become an awkward, starry-eyed schoolboy. His fawning attempts to get in Bella's good graces were downright embarrassing. And to make matters worse, they seemed to have the opposite effect desired.

The more attention Edward lavished on Bella as the night wore on, the less interested she appeared. And as if to rub his face in it, she began flirting with nearly every other male in the establishment, including Jasper and Emmett. Alice wanted to hide under the table when Bella began stroking the chest of a very uncomfortable Emmett. And more to her surprise, the usually possessive Rosalie either didn't notice or didn't care.

When Alice couldn't stand it anymore, she grabbed Bella's arm and dragged her to the bathroom.

"What the hell has gotten into you tonight?" she demanded to know as soon as the door swung shut behind them.

Bella smoothed down her hair in the mirror and smirked. "Nothing yet, but I don't plan on letting it stay that way."

"Ack, stop acting like this! It's freaking me out. And I'm serious—I need to know what's going on with this sudden turn-around. Like, on a scale of one to 'immediate intervention,' how worried should I be?"

"Honestly, Alice, you need to calm down. I told you, I'm just lightening up a little—giving the game another try. Besides, _you're_ the one who kept riding my ass about this. I figured you'd be the first one in line cheering me on."

"Well, yeah, it's just…I figured that if you ever did listen to me, it would be over something small, like—I dunno—putting on a nice shirt and a smile. I never expected a complete one-eighty like this!"

"Anything worth doing is worth doing right—don't you agree?" Bella fluttered her eyelashes coquettishly at her friend. "

"I guess," Alice replied, studying Bella's flippant expression. "I'm curious, though. Why the cold shoulder when it comes to Edward? I mean, uh, not that I think you should pay any special attention to him…or even regular attention…I mean, guys that pretty are bound to be players and heart-breakers and…" She trailed off, completely mixed up over whether she should be hoping for the two of them to get along or not.

"Yeah, he's hot, I'll give you that, but Edward seems like such a _relationship_ kind of guy. I'm over all that crap. I just wanna have fun—like you said!"

Bella gave her hair one final pat and skipped out of the bathroom as Alice stared blankly after her.

Back at the table, Edward was in the middle of his own interrogation session.

"I don't get it. What's so special about _this_ girl that all of the sudden you're ready to look at china patterns?" Emmett asked in an urgent whisper. "You hardly know anything about her!"

"I know enough," Edward replied stubbornly, his eyes trained on the hallway where Bella had disappeared. "What's it to you, anyway? Just last week you were going on and on about the wonders of commitment and giving into your feelings and all that shit, and now you're telling me to slow down? Talk about a mixed message."

"Yeah, but…look, man, there's something you should know about this girl. From what I've heard, she's been through a couple of rough relationships, and I don't think she's looking for anything too, uh, serious right now. And I hate to point out the obvious, but, um, she sorta doesn't seem that into you…"

"She'll come around," Edward said, unconcerned. "It may take some time, but she'll eventually see what I see: that we're made for each other."

Emmett frowned, his face etched with worry. "Uh, I'm not sure it always works that way. I just don't want to see you hurt, ya know? Or served a restraining order for being a creepy stalker, which, by the way, you're really starting to act like."

"Don't be ridiculous," Edward chastised. "Everything will be f— _oh_! She's coming back!"

On her way to the table, Bella let her fingertips slide across the back a particularly well-muscled man sitting at the bar. He turned on his bar stool and smirked at her as she walked past.

Edward's eyes narrowed, and his hands clenched in determination. But the dark expression cleared the moment Bella sat down.

"Do you need anything, Bella?" he asked eagerly. "I see your drink's a little low. You want me to get you another?"

Bella rolled her eyes and sighed. "Sure, whatever."

He jumped out of his seat and was hurrying to the bar before she could finish talking.

Emmett groaned, prompting a sardonic chuckle from Rosalie. Bella heard it and looked at her friend askance.

"What's going on?"

Emmett shifted uncomfortably and then stood up. "Actually, I, uh, just remembered that I need to talk to Alice about…uh, a personal issue. Yeah, a personal issue that's, um…personal. So I'm just gonna borrow her for a quick second, and then we'll be right back."

Alice had no idea what Emmett was doing, but she was happy for the chance to get him alone. She wanted to concede the bet, drag Bella home before the girl did anything she later regretted, and grill her 'til she spilled.

But Emmett was quicker on the draw.

"I'm sorry, Ali. I don't know what the hell's going on with Edward, but I think it's clear that you win. Bella is totally schooling him on the meaning of rejection."

For a second, Alice considered shutting her mouth and basking in glow of victory. But she knew there were more important issues at stake.

"No, that wouldn't be fair," she said. "Bella was definitely flirting when they first met, and I would've given you the win for far less than that. I think the best thing to do in this case is call it a draw and worry about what's going on with our friends, instead."

Emmett nodded and sighed. "Yeah. And really, when you think about it, we both got we wanted—sort of. Edward says he's ready for a relationship, and Bella's playing the field. They just went from zero to sixty _reeeally_ fast, that's all."

"I guess so. Anyway, I'm thinking of calling it a night. I can't handle much more of her weirdness."

"Sounds good to me, though I'm pretty sure Edward's not going anywhere until she does."

Alice chuckled wryly. "The boy's got it bad, alright. It's a shame she doesn't like him; they'd be a cute couple."

The co-conspirators returned to their table, where Bella was making eyes at a guy across the room while Edward watched jealously. Alice tried to convince Bella to leave, but the brunette wouldn't hear of it. Though she'd only had a few drinks, they seemed to be having a strong effect, and Bella wanted to make the most of it.

There was a small dance floor in the corner of the bar, and she happily squeezed herself in the midst of the crowd to shake her thang. Alice and Rosalie looked on in amazement. Because they'd never seen her dance before, they just assumed she couldn't.

They were wrong.

"Girl's been holding out on us," Rosalie declared, mischief in her eyes.

She pulled Emmett out onto the floor. Edward and Alice followed hot on her heels. Jasper did everyone a favor and sat out. The only kind of dancing he could do required cowboy boots.

Poor Edward tried and tried to get close to Bella, but she expertly slipped away each time. He ignored the small legion of women who vied among themselves for his attention; his gaze never once wavered from the object of his obsession.

Though it seemed like forever to Alice and Emmett, Bella began to crash after an hour of heavy dancing. She teetered unsteadily on her heels and clung onto Emmett's arm to stay upright. Eventually, Rosalie was able to coax her off the dance floor and out of the bar.

The group stood on the sidewalk and discussed transportation arrangements. Rosalie and Emmett would take Bella home and see to it that she made it into bed. Alice grudgingly accepted the fact that any type of interrogation would have to wait until later. Bella's eyes were shut, and Emmett was all but carrying her to Rosalie's car.

Edward, of course, pleaded to go with Bella but was met with a round of emphatic vetoes on that idea. He gave her a forlorn yet resolute goodbye and watched sadly as Rosalie pulled out of the parking lot.

Back at Bella's apartment, Emmett carried her from the car, and Rosalie helped her get ready for bed. Bella blinked sleepily at her friend as Rosalie pulled up the covers.

"Nice job tonight, though you might have gone a little overboard on the alcohol," Rosalie chuckled softly.

"Shhhut up," Bella mumbled, her words tripping over one another. "It's been a while since I had more than one drink in a night." She yawned and snuggled under the bedspread. "Thanks for helping out. I'll see ya tomorrow, 'kay?"

Rose agreed and told her goodnight, but Bella was already out like a light.

Although it felt as if she'd just closed her eyes, an insistent knocking on her door woke her an hour later. She wanted to ignore the annoying sound, but her feet placed themselves on the floor and walked across her apartment, seemingly of their own accord.

If she'd checked the peephole before opening the door, her actions might have been a little different. But she didn't and thus was completely unprepared for the force that swept her up and pushed her back against the wall. The tiny gasp she made upon impact was quickly swallowed by a pair of demanding lips.

Though her brain tried to catch up with what was happening, her body seemed to have a mind of its own. She hitched her leg over the hip in front of her and moaned, opening her mouth to the demanding thrusts of a warm, wet tongue.

Low-spoken words registered in her consciousness, though they were filtered through the haze of visceral lust that surrounded her.

"…so damned beautiful…tease all night long…hard to stay away…what you deserve…"

Eager hands travelled her body: her neck, her breasts, her waist, her hips. She felt long fingers cup her ass and shift her up the wall until she felt the pressure of a rock-hard erection settle between her legs.

"Oh, _fuck_ ," she breathed, grinding her hips over the large bulge. Her head tilted back, breaking their kiss but exposing her neck to delicious licking and sucking and biting.

"Yes. Fuck. That's what I want to do to you. I want to fuck you hard and senseless."

She shivered at the sound of his low, raspy voice. He had already achieved the senseless part of his plan; Bella could barely string two thoughts together. But then, she only had one in mind, anyway.

"Bedroom," she croaked, digging her nails into his back.

"Your wish is my command," he murmured, his mouth still pressed against her throat. "Though I really shouldn't be so nice. You weren't at all nice to me tonight, were you?"

"No," she gasped as threw her down on her bed and began pulling off her clothes. "I was t-terrible."

"Do you have any idea how crazy I was seeing you dance with those other men? I'll bet you did that on purpose to make me jealous, didn't you?"

The moment her underwear was free of her legs, he dove in between them, tongue stroking, lips sucking. Bella's spine arched off bed from the intense pleasure.

"Fuck! Yes! I did it…on purpose…I had to…"

"Oh, really?" he hummed around the swollen clit that was throbbing in his mouth. "You just _had_ to let them put their hands on you and press against your body and breathe in your ear? Are you saying that you didn't enjoy it?"

"No! I didn't…oh God…yes! Just like that…please…don't stop…" Bella could barely stand the building ache and pushed herself down further onto the teasing tongue.

All movement suddenly ceased, and she cried out in desperation. He chuckled.

"Well, beautiful Bella, maybe I _have_ to stop right now. Maybe I _enjoy_ seeing you lying naked in front of me, panting and writhing and wanting more. Maybe now you'll understand how I felt tonight."

"I'm sorry! Please…" She was almost in tears.

His arms were around her in a flash. "Oh baby, I'm sorry. I was just playing with you. I'd never leave you wanting—you have to know that."

"Then take me now," she pleaded. "I need you inside me. I need your hard, thick cock pounding into me…"

"Yes," he hissed, ripping off his own clothes as fast as he could. His eyes widened in hunger when her hands slipped between her legs, spreading herself open and furiously rubbing her clit.

They both cried out when he shoved his dick hard inside her. Bella wasted no time flinging her arms and legs around him, holding on as tightly as she could to keep from being heaved off the bed from the force of his punishing thrusts.

"Harder," she begged as she clawed up and down his back, trying to find an outlet for the excess of pressure building inside her.

When her teeth latched onto his shoulder, he growled and clenched his hand around her breast. The heady smell of their lust, the sound of skin slapping against skin, the taste of salty sweat—it combined and swirled and overwhelmed their senses until the unbearable ache burst into a crashing cascade of relief.

Bella gasped as her entire body tightened in wave after wave of pure pleasure that left her tingling and breathless. She felt him jerk and pulse inside her, filling her up with all that he had.

"Oh my god," she sighed when he collapsed in an exhausted heap on top of her. "That was _so_ good."

"Mm, yes it was." His words were muffled against the mattress. "Let's do it again."

"Right now? Really?"

"Well, maybe I'll give you a few minutes to recover."

She laughed and shoved on his chest until he rolled off her. " _I_ need a few minutes?" She grabbed a handful of tissues from her nightstand and began cleaning his now-soft penis. "I'm good for multiple orgasms. Mr. Floppy here, on the other hand, seems to be out for the count."

"Gee, kick a guy when he's down, why don't you?" he groused playfully as he turned on his side to look at her. He stared into her deep brown eyes and then gave a tender smile. "Hey, guess what?"

"What?"

"I love you, Bella Swan."

Even in the dimness, he could tell she was blushing. But there was no hesitation in her answer.

"I love you, too, Edward Cullen."

She lifted her head to meet him in a sweet, adoring kiss that expressed their feelings for each other much better than words could.

Sighing happily, she coaxed him onto his back and situated herself in the crook of his arm. "So tonight went pretty well," she noted. "Alice and Emmett were so confused! That was fun to watch."

"Hmph. Hell of a lot better than having to see you get your flirt on," Edward grumbled.

"Oh, stop," Bella chided, tapping him on the chest. "It was all part of the plan. You know it didn't mean anything."

Edward grabbed her hips and pulled her on top of him. "Oh, I know that, do I?" he teased. "Maybe I need some convincing. You're sure you don't want any of those other losers? Just me?"

"Yes, you silly man. Take me out on a real first date, and you'll see that I only have eyes for you."

"I'll just have to do that, then." He pecked her lips and then tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "It'll be nice to finally 'come out' tomorrow. I had a hard time keeping my hands off you earlier."

Bella grinned widely. "I can't wait until Rose brings Alice and Emmett over in the morning to find us in bed together. Their heads are going to explode!"

"That Rose is one devious woman. Going behind their backs to clue us in on their bet and planning out tonight's scenario…" Edward shook his head. "I hope she never turns her evil genius on me."

"Oh, this little scheme was nothing. She was holding back since you've only known her for two weeks. At least the police weren't involved this time."

"Great, I can't wait," he said sardonically.

"Yeah, but we do owe her for bringing us together the way she did," Bella pointed out. "I wonder how things would've turned out if we'd met for the first time tonight like we were supposed to."

Edward nuzzled his nose into Bella's hair and laved kisses on her neck. "Oh, I'm sure we would've ended up together one way or another. After all, I'm irresistible."

"And apparently, also very cocky," Bella managed to get out in between quiet whimpers of pleasure.

Edward chuckled and bucked his hips up into her lower body. "Why yes, yes I am."

Bella sucked in a breath as the tip of his proof positive slipped into her entrance. "I see that Mr. Floppy's recovery time is over."

"Mm hmm. And Mr. Hard and Thick is quite excited to get back in the game," Edward murmured, flipping them over so that Bella was underneath him. "I bet he can make you come two times this round."

She moaned as he thrust deeply inside her.

"That's a bet I'd love to lose."


End file.
